San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing, so naturally, we’re seeing a lot of iconic scifi gadgets this weekend. But as a faithful Giz reader, if you’re in the market for a fantastical new weapon to defeat your sworn enemies, you’re gonna want specs. How much energy can Thor’s hammer or a Jedi lightsaber actually produce? »7/11/15 12:24pm 7/11/15 12:24pm

“Sleep well sweet angel, let no fears of ghouls disturb thy rest, for above thy shrouded form lies a torpedo, ready to make minced meat of anyone who attempts to convey you to the pickling vat.” How’s that for an advertising slogan?»7/08/15 4:00pm 7/08/15 4:00pm

In a war that featured Blitzkriegs, V2 rockets, and nuclear weapons, it’s easy to forget about some of the more old-timey weapons and tactics used during the conflict. Here are eight that proved their worth. »6/16/15 9:50am 6/16/15 9:50am

You’ve probably never fired an M4 carbine. Until a couple weeks ago, I hadn’t either. But at a recent DARPA demo day, I loaded a magazine (also a first for me), snuggled up to the deadly assault rifle, and looked through one of the most technologically advanced smart scopes ever built. Then I pulled the trigger. »4/29/15 12:09pm 4/29/15 12:09pm

Remember the 1983 movie WarGames? The film is about a computer "game" with the potential to start thermonuclear war. But strangely this scenario is more truth than fiction. Because in 1979 programmers at NORAD almost started World War III when they accidentally ran a computer simulation of a Soviet attack. »2/17/15 12:18pm 2/17/15 12:18pm

A lot of brainpower goes into designing weapons of war. Unfortunately, in a complicated situation, brainpower is a terrible substitute for testing. Here are some of the ingenious weapons of war that were great on paper and terrible in practice. »2/16/15 1:20pm 2/16/15 1:20pm

Sometimes, you want to show up holding a really big gun. Let people know you mean business, by hoisting a honking great shooter that you can barely hoist. But sometimes, subtle is best. When you want to be sneaky, or just really cute, with your choice of firearm, there's always these teeny tiny pistols. »2/04/15 3:00pm 2/04/15 3:00pm

Recently declassified documents obtained by the National Security Archive reveal that the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations were considering military action to prevent or delay China from building nuclear weapons — even if that meant working with Moscow to stage an accidental bombing. »12/16/14 1:40pm 12/16/14 1:40pm

As part of its annual training exercises in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. Navy has begun testing a prototype of its High Energy Laser (HEL) weapon. The futuristic device could be used to shoot down drones and small attack boats. »11/25/14 11:43am 11/25/14 11:43am

Weapons are a major part of fantasy literature of every kind. That's why there's a whole category called "Sword and Sorcery." But as fantasy stories have proliferated, some fantasy weapons tropes have taken over the genre. Here are the ten we'd like to see retired. »10/31/14 4:08am 10/31/14 4:08am

As we head deeper into the 21st century, we're starting to catch a glimpse of the fantastic technological possibilities that await. But we're also starting to get a grim sense of the potential horrors. Here are 10 frightening technologies that should never, ever, come into existence. »9/16/14 10:10am 9/16/14 10:10am

Senior UK military figures say they want Scotland's nukes moved to the U.S. if it declares independence. They said the plan would ensure that four missile-carrying submarines would not remain in the hands of a non-NATO country and deprive the Scottish First Minister of any "leverage" in post-independence negotiations. »9/15/14 10:36am 9/15/14 10:36am

The M76 is the "weapon that earned the honor of being the first zombie apocalypse gun," writes War is Boring, which looks at the peculiar history of the submachine gun that has been the firearm of choice in multiple films, including The Omega Man and The Dark Knight. »9/08/14 10:09am 9/08/14 10:09am